March12, 2007

Washington,
DC – House Armed Services Committee Chairman Ike Skelton
(D-MO) released the following statement after the Army
announced the retirement of Lieutenant General Kevin C. Kiley,
the Army Surgeon General:

“The Acting Secretary of the Army informed me this
morning of the retirement of the Surgeon General of the
Army, Lieutenant General Kevin C. Kiley.

Leaders must be held
accountable for what happens under their command. The
changes in leadership that have occurred since the
situation at Walter Reed gained public attention are the
first step. But this step alone will not fix the
problems that our wounded and injured service members
experience when they are in recovery.

With the installation of new
leaders, the real test will be making sure that the work
fixing problems actually gets done. The House Armed
Services Committee will be preparing legislation to improve
administration, eliminate bureaucracy, and ease transition
issues for our service members and their families, and I
believe Congress is willing to help the Pentagon make the
necessary changes to see this through.”